President Trump urged GM Monday to re-open its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, saying it should close one of its plants in another country instead.
The plant built its last car earlier this month, leaving 1,500 workers without a job, but the manufacturer and the United Automobile Workers are in talks regarding an alternative solution.
“General Motors and the UAW are going to start ‘talks’ in September/October. Why wait, start them now!” Trump tweeted. “I want jobs to stay in the U.S.A. and want Lordstown (Ohio), in one of the best economies in our history, opened or sold to a company who will open it up fast! Car companies.”
General Motors and the UAW are going to start “talks” in September/October. Why wait, start them now! I want jobs to stay in the U.S.A. and want Lordstown (Ohio), in one of the best economies in our history, opened or sold to a company who will open it up fast! Car companies…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2019
He added in a follow-up: “We now have the best Economy in the World, the envy of all. Get that big, beautiful plant in Ohio open now. Close a plant in China or Mexico, where you invested so heavily pre-Trump, but not in the U.S.A. Bring jobs home!”
The UAW encouraged Trump’s comments.
Corporations close plants, workers don’t. Join us, @realDonaldTrump in leaving no stone unturned against @GM. Don’t let GM off the hook.
— UAW (@UAW) March 18, 2019
In a statement Sunday, GM said, “To be clear, under the terms of the UAW-GM National Agreement, the ultimate future of the unallocated plants will be resolved between GM and the UAW.”
The company has used the term “unallocated” rather than “idle” to characterize the Lordstown plant, which built small cars. Under the terms of its existing UAW collective bargaining contract, GM cannot shutdown its domestic plants except in cases “beyond the control of the Company.”
GM has resisted pressure from the White House, Congress and the union to reverse course, saying it has to restructure its operations, and recently added 1,000 workers to a Flint, Michigan plant to build pickups. The union has said it will challenge the Lordstown closure legally if necessary.
In a tweet Sunday, Trump said: “Just spoke to Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors about the Lordstown Ohio plant. I am not happy that it is closed when everything else in our Country is BOOMING. I asked her to sell it or do something quickly. She blamed the UAW Union — I don’t care, I just want it open!”
The union thanked Trump: “Thank you, Mr. President, for fighting alongside the UAW against @GM. We will leave no stone unturned to keep the plants open!”
